


A collection of my writings for Lapidot Week 2

by RoamingScroll



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Lapidot Week 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-01 03:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoamingScroll/pseuds/RoamingScroll
Summary: My contributions to Lapidot Week 2.Day 1: Fall/The ColdDay 2: FirstsDay 3: Protection/Body Guard AUDay 4: Free DayDay 5: Home/FamilyDay 6: Historical AUDay 7: Pilots/Flight





	1. A Forest Walk in the Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1: Fall/The Cold
> 
> Lapidot Week 2 is here and I really wanted to participate in it and write about the two most adorable little gems. Hopefully you'll enjoy it just as much as I do. 
> 
> If you have any criticism or advice please comment below, so that I may improve upon my writing.  
> Thanks for reading!

Peridot gazed around in wonderment, constantly twirling (and almost tripping on her face) to stare over at something new.

Lapis asked Peridot to join her out on one of her walks, and of course Peridot agreed. Lapis always talked about how beautiful the forest was, but after seeing it with her own eyes, Peridot feels like her descriptions were understatements. The trees were vibrant, full of so many different colors. Leaves scattered the ground, crunching beneath her feat as she walked; others were falling, floating lazily in the air, periodically landing on the small gem and causing the little bundle of energy that she was to run over to Lazuli and show off her new leaf; that always seemed to get Lapis to smile.

Then there were the animals, all the different Earth creatures scattered around the forest. She saw some small furry ones that seemed to carry the hard tree-food in their mouths. They would scamper around, some scaled nearby trees, causing more leaves to rain down above the two gems, others would frolic along the forest floor, the light sound of their little feet on the brittle leaves was strangely enjoyable. Then there were the animals with sticks on their head, Peridot really liked those ones; they would run around the forest, weaving through the trees and effortlessly jumping over bushes and logs in their way; something about how graceful they were appealed to Peridot. 

And it wasn’t just the sights that amazed the little gem, all the sounds that filled the air. The little furry creatures made adorable squeaking sounds, they sounded so cute. Peridot liked to imagine they were squeaking in embarrassment, as if they were caught unprepared for the gems to come take a walk through the forest and needed to clean up the woods before it was too late. She could imagine them wearing little outfits too, like that one that Amethyst showed her, the little butler one. She gave a small shiver; Amethyst may have impeccable taste in friends but her taste in television entertainment was a little lacking.

A cool breeze brushing across her face brought her back to the wonderment’s of the forest, as if Mother Nature herself was greeting her, welcoming her into this forest that was so full of life. Peridot smiled, it seems like every day she finds something new worth fighting for; she gives a small glance over towards the ocean gem, who was a few steps ahead, admiring some clouds. A small blush tints her face, she admired Lapis a lot, she seemed to be everything Peridot wasn’t: she was graceful, powerful… pretty; Peridot bent down and started poking at the ground, trying to make sure Lapis didn’t notice her now completely red face.

She dug up a few small clumps of dirt with her finger, rubbing together the small grains of Earth between them. It felt weird to say the least, it was mushy and a bit wet; she watched as the small bits slowly crumbled into smaller bits. After a few more moments of prodding at dirt and leaves, Peridot made her way to join up with Lazuli, who was now a bit further away, but seemed to take notice of Peridot stopping, sitting on a fallen log and staring at the small gem. The tall gem broke the blissful silence that had enveloped the two during their walk together, once Peridot got near.

"So do you like it? The forest.“ Peridot made a little hop, skidding to a stop in front of the other gem before responding.

"I love it, it’s so nice and calm and wonderful and beautiful!” She wanted to say “like you” but caught herself.

"That’s great.“ Lapis gave Peridot a soft smile that made her melt inside. "But we should start heading back, it’s getting late.”

"O-oh! Yes, right!“ Peridot was a little sad, she wanted to stay out a bit longer.

Lapis smiled, and once she got up from her log and stretched, she held out a hand towards the small gem. Peridot hesitantly accepted the offered hand, blushing as their fingers brushed together. The two gems happily made their way back to the barn, not forgetting to take in the rest of the forest before they broke through the tree line and were back on the flatland; or at least they tried too, Peridot became even more flustered with every passing second and unbeknownst to the small gem, Lapis couldn’t help but stare at the little embarrassed gem.

The ocean gem has really come to care for the former technician, and with every passing day, the small gem seems to somehow become even more endearing then the last. She gripped Peridots hand a little harder, not wanting to let go. Peridot seemed to notice this and looked up at Lapis which allowed the tall gem to see how flushed and adorable Peridot was, stars there should be a rule against being this cute. She brushed her free hand through Peridots hair, knocking out a couple of leaves that have lodged themselves there.

"Hey Peridot?”

"Y-ya, Lapis?“

"We should do this more often.” This made the small gems eyes glisten and the biggest smile to form on her face.

"Ya! er I mean, yes, that would be… great.“ Peridot felt like she couldn’t feel anymore flustered.

Lapis laughed at the little stutter before wrapping the small gem in a quick hug.

"You’re so cute Peridot.” And with a small kiss to the flustered gems gem, she broke from the hug and flew up to the top of the barn, a mischievous smile on her lips.

Peridot was wrong.


	2. First confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day: 2 First's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a bit late, I ended up rewriting the whole thing twice, I'll still get day 3 posted on time, sometime later today though.

             It was another calm day at the barn; Lapis stared lazily at the clouds floating above, enjoying the calm serenity of her new life. Or she tried to anyway; many loud clattering sounds and shrill shrieks rose up through the rafters, indicating Peridot was currently working on another project. If this was only a month ago, and Lapis was still getting used to living with her former captor, she would have left in a huff, trying to find some far off spot away from all the noise; but over time she realized things had changed... they had changed.

            Peridot had somehow, slowly wormed her way into Lapis's heart, becoming her closest friend, even more than Steven. She gave Lapis kindness and comfort even when she didn't want it; this being of pure love and annoyance did something Lapis didn't think was possible... Peridot made her feel like she has changed, that she was better... she made her feel whole.

            The only problem was that Lapis didn't know how to tell this to Peridot. The little gem has done so much for her, has shown her so much more love than she deserves, but every time Lapis tries to tell her how she feels back, every time she tries to convey her newfound feelings, she just can't. Her voice will give out or her face becomes covered in a massive blush, and she just ends up running away. And it only gets worse as more time passes; lately she's been avoiding Peridot as much as possible, not because she wants too, really she wants nothing more than to grasp Peridot in her arms, holding her close and never letting go, protecting and loving the little gem that has protected and loved her; but she's scared.

            She doesn't know what would happen if she told Peridot these things, and she doesn't want to ruin what they have now; if she lost Peridot... Lapis shuddered, pushing away those thoughts like they would shatter her if she delved any deeper. What if Peridot doesn't feel the same way, or even worse, what if she hated Lapis for these feelings? She knows it sounds ridiculous, Peridot shows her nothing but compassion and kindness, but that nagging feeling of everything going wrong is always there, always stopping her before she can tell Peridot her true feelings.

            So now here she was, sitting on top of the barn, listening to the gem she so desperately wanted to be with but was too scared to approach, the little gem that has brought her so much happiness without expecting anything in return, the great and lovable gem that has made her decide that maybe, just maybe, this planet could be her home.

            Lapis pounded a fist down onto the rooftop, No! She couldn't let this go on any longer; this whirlpool of feelings and insecurities needed to stop. She cares about Peridot and Peridot cares about her, it' as simple as that. She scrambled to get up, wings already unfurling as she quickly dove towards the ground; hoping that she could finally tell Peridot the truth before this sudden newfound sense of courageousness and determination wore off.

            With a burst through the doors, she skidded to a halt, almost knocking a confused and slightly scared Peridot onto her butt.

            "Lapis!? Is everything ok? "Peridot's expression soon changed to worry as she stared at the intense glare Lapis was giving her, not at all ready when Lapis gripped her by the shoulders, the ocean gems fingers digging into Peridots skin as if she was afraid Peridot might disappear.

            Lapis wasn't even sure what was going on anymore, her head pumping with so much adrenaline that her mind felt hazy; she could just barely make out the words she was currently, slightly yelling, to Peridot.

            "Peridot, I need you to listen because I don't know if I'll be able to say this again; I'm in love with you, I've been in love with you for so long now I can't even remember when I wasn't, I don't want to remember when I wasn't. You are by far the kindest, bravest, funniest, smartest, most idiotic and ridiculous, yet most adorable and fantastic gem I have ever met. Your laugh is stupid and amazing and cute, your voice is nasally and lovely and soothing, you are by far, the most important thing in my life and I just wanted you to know how much I truly care about you, because I don't tell you nearly as much as I should. Every day I spend with you is better than the last, every time we talk I want the conversation to never end, every single time I see you I just want to hold you and kiss you until I physically can't. I love you so much Peridot, so so much that it hurts." The longer Lapis went on, the more and more she slowly came back to reality and soon she started to realize all the things she's been saying. Her face became redder than what should be possible, the words getting caught in her throat as her voice gave out. And once she looked down at Peridot, the small gem she's been desperately clinging to this whole time, she felt like running away and never looking back.

            The little green gem had tears in her eyes, a harsh sob coming up from her throat. Lapis was so scared she hurt the small gem, quickly letting go and falling too her knees, apologies pouring from her mouth like a waterfall. So it was to her shock when Peridot, the gem she thought hated her now more than ever, jumped on top of her, knocking both gems to the ground; the small gem hugged Lapis tight and cried into her shoulder, what felt like years, eons of confusion, uncertainty, anger and sadness soon became a lifetime of ecstasy and euphoria when Peridot looked at her again.

            The crying gem had the biggest smile on her face and in-between hiccups and sobs, told Lapis the four words she wanted so desperately to hear.

            "I love you too."

            Lapis almost fainted right then and there; those simple words sounding so unreal, feeling so tremendous, that it almost felt like her gem would crack because it was too much to handle. Lapis latched onto Peridot, her voice cracking and eyes tearing up as the two gems hugged each other tightly and "I love yous" filled the room. The two gems wouldn't move from that spot for another few hours, too caught up in each other to care about anything else; and as Lapis stared into the green pools of Peridot's eyes, she swears she could see the future, a future shared between the two gems, a future full of happiness and love.


	3. I will always protect you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Protection/ Body Guard AU  
> Hope ya'll are enjoying this so far, I really enjoy writing these two nerds being all mushy and lovey to each other. If you notice any mistakes or have any advice or just want to say or ask something, feel free to comment down below.

             "I can't wait to see Lapis and Peridot again; it's been like, forever since I got to see them." Steven bounced around in excitement, pulling Pearl's arm to try and get her to go faster. The pale gem gave a small chuckle watching Steven in all his mirth.

            "It's only been a couple of days Steven, and remember that we are here so I can get Peridots help on an important matter, so no distracting her." Steven let go of Pearls hand so as to give her a quick salute, before quickly bounding faster towards the barn. It wasn't until he neared the entrance did something feel off.

            An eerie silence hung over the barn, making Steven instinctively back up towards Pearl, latching on to her hand once more; the thin gem herself not liking the ominous feeling that spread itself around the barn. Her worst fears seemed to come true when she noticed a pile of shattered gem shards scattered about on the ground near the door, crushed to such a length, she could hardly tell what gem it used to be. Many different thoughts rushed at her in a frenzy, "Was there a fight? Between who? It couldn't have been between Lapis and Peridot, the two gems have been together for months now, did a corrupted gem somehow make its way here? Are the others ok?"     

            Pearl gripped Stevens hand tightly, unsure of what they were about to find. With a swift motion she drew a sword from her gem and thrust open the barn doors, and what she saw was not what she was expecting.

            There, in a dark corner of the barn, Lapis lied on a small couch, curled into a ball and clutching something against her chest. Even from here Pearl could tell the ocean gem had been crying, her puffy eyes alone enough signification of that fact; and even though she couldn't see what Lapis was holding, it was pretty easy to guess. Before Pearl could do anything Steven started running towards his friend.

            "Lapis!? Lapis are you ok, what happened, where's Peridot?!" The young gem hurried towards Lapis, soon crouching on his knees next to her, trying to figure out what was wrong, but Lapis made no effort to move, nor an attempt to speak, she just lied there. It wasn't until she felt a hand touch her shoulder did she look up, finding Pearl with a look in her eyes, not one of pity but sadness, a small frown forming on her lips. The tall gem looks into Lapis's eyes, about to ask a question she already knew the answer to.         

            "Lapis, where is Peridot?" The blue gem holds Pearls stare before she slowly, shakily opens her hand, revealing a small green gem; but when Pearl goes to reach for the stone, Lapis's hand shoots back towards her chest, clutching Peridot tightly and glaring at Pearl. A few seconds pass before Lapis realizes what happened, a few more before tears start once more cascading down her features. Steven quickly hugs the crying gem, not quite sure what was going on, but ready all the same to comfort his friend.

            Pearl soon kneels down beside Lapis as well, holding her hands in an attempt to show support. She slowly taps at the other gems fingers, as if asking permission to see. Lapis eventually relents, and opens up her hands, allowing Pearl to hold Peridots gem; she breathes a sigh of relief when she sees no damage has been done, she didn't want to assume the worst and luckily it didn't happen. After she was done making sure there were no cracks on the small gem, she gently handed it back to Lapis, who soon wrapped her fingers lightly around Peridot once more.

            The three gems sat together in silence until Lapis made a motion to sit up, Steven and Pearl quickly moving to aid her. The ocean gem rubbed her eyes and head, a dull pain thumping in her skull. Steven shuffled closely next to her, leaning against her side and Pearl soon joined them on the couch, her mind at ease that nothing to terrible had happened but still wishing to know what brought about all this.

            "Do you think you can tell us what happened Lapis?" She asked softly.

            The ocean gem stared down at the green gem she held in her hands before lifting her head and giving a small nod.

            "It all happened yesterday." Her voice sounded coarse and weak but with each word it seemed to grow in strength, not all the way back to normal, but it was helping.

            ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

            Peridot and Lapis were currently working on their latest projects, at least that's what Peridot liked to say, really they were just coloring a bunch with the large set of crayons Greg got them after they helped a little at his car wash. The two gems were laughing, smiling, and showing off their finished pictures (Usually of one another or every now and then, another Crystal gem); everything was going great until "it" appeared.

            A loud bellowing howl sounded throughout the barn, both gems quickly turning to see a large corrupted gem barreling down towards them. The creature was terrifying, five huge appendages sprouted out its sides, large teeth sprouting out its mouth, and a look in its eyes so savage, so full of instinctive hate and pain, that Lapis didn't know what to do, memories resurfaced, memories of wild golden eyes just like that of this beasts; so like a deer in headlights she stood there, her body not moving and her voice not making a sound. As the beast drew near, Lapis shut her eyes, waiting for the inevitable contact... but it never came; no, what came instead was much worse.

            "Don't you touch her you clod!" The words echoed against the walls, Lapis's eyes flew open to see Peridot push her out of the way and take the hit instead; her small body flew across the room before being slammed into a wall.

            This was what it took to break Lapis out of her daze, anger now took over what was once run by fear; seeing Peridots body, now slumped on the ground, Lapis lost all control, a fist of water grabbed the corrupted gem, raising it high above the ground, squeezing every ounce of life it had out if its gem until it poofed, but Lapis was not done. She sent the gem crashing to the ground, shattering it into hundreds of small pieces.

            As the beast was now gone, its gem with no hope of being fixed, Lapis regained control, her mind clear again. She rushed over to Peridot, helping the small gem up and held her in her lap, hugging her so tightly.

            "Why did you do that, why did you let yourself get hurt like this?!"  Tears were rolling down her eyes as she held Peridot tighter. She heard a small chuckle as the small gem held her back.

            "Because I wanted to protect you Lapis, if anything happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself."

            "But you could have gotten cracked or worse!"

            "And so could you, that's why I pushed you out of the way, that's why I had to push you out of the way." She caressed Lapis's face, wiping a small tear away.

            "Don't worry about me Lapis; us Peridots are tougher than you think." She gave the ocean gem a small kiss and a smile before retreating back to her gem in a veil of light.

            Lapis held the small gem in her hands, unsure of what to do, trying to think back at what all just happened. Slowly, she made her way up to the small couch in the corner, lying down gently against the soft cushions. She held Peridots gem tightly, and hoped that she would come back soon, because she didn't know what she would do without her.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

            By the end of her story Steven was in tears, hugging Lapis tightly and telling her it will be ok. Lapis gave a weak smile, first at Steven, then down at Peridot. She knew Peridot would regenerate, she just wished she didn't have too, that none of what happened, happened. Pearl put a hand on the blue gems shoulder, but before she could say anything a soft glow filled the barn. Slowly the small form of Peridot began to take shape as she regenerated, and soon the green gem was back, sitting on Lapis's lap and hugging the ocean gem.

            Lapis hugged her tightly, crying softly into her shoulder, apologizing for everything that happened, it wasn't until Peridot held her head in her hands and looked into her eyes did she stop.

            "I told you not to worry Laz, I'm tougher then I look, and it's going to take a lot more than some corrupted clod to get rid of me." She gave a small laugh, her smile lighting up the room and soon Lapis couldn't help but smile too. She was so relieved that Peridot was ok, so happy that she was back.

            "Peridot!" The green gem was tackled by Steven, who joined in on hugging the now reformed gem.

            "Steven! What are you doing here, how long was I gone?" She started looking around, surprised once more to find Pearl also here, staring at her with smile on her face. "What's going on; is something wrong?"

            "Shut up you clod and kiss me." Lapis grabbed Peridot and brought their lips together, the small gem soon melting into the kiss; Pearl quickly covered Steven's eyes with a squawk. The two gems held each other tight, and once Lapis let go she gave Peridot a stern look that did not go with their previous actions.

            "Don't you ever, EVER, do that again; if I ever lost you because you decided to go and sacrifice yourself for me, I will never forgive you, understand?" Peridot was scared at first but started laughing as Lapis finished with a small huff.

            "There's nothing on this planet, or in this universe that could stop me from protecting you Lazuli, not even you." She gave the frowning gem a small kiss on the nose, then on the forehead, and soon she was peppering Lapis with hundreds of little kisses all over causing the ocean gem to start snorting and laughing and giggling, trying to push Peridot off of her but the little gem wouldn't relent, not until Lapis was a giggling mess full of smiles and laughter. Once that was accomplished Peridot leaned down to whisper into Lapis's ear.

            "I will always be here for you Lapis, always and forever and nothing, not even the entirety of homeworld, could ever stop me from loving you."

            Pearl and Steven weren't able to hear what Peridot said but they were able to see Lapis's face become completely covered in a blush. Peridot smirked a little at this sight, but as she was about to get up, Lapis pulled her down and whispered something back causing both of their faces to blush tremendously.

            "I think we should go Steven."

            "But didnt you need Peridot for something?"

            "I can get her help some other time, I think we should give these two sometime between themselves, let's go."

            "Alright, I'll come see you guys tomorrow then." Steven waved as Pearl led him out the barn but neither gem heard him, too busy lost in each other and there's no place they'd rather be.  


	4. I'm Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Free Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for being a bit late, but hey, double update at least, and I'm pretty happy with both of them. 
> 
> So I hope you like them, and don't forget to comment if you got a comment. Thanks for reading

            Lapis watched with amusement as Peridot chased Pumpkin around the barn, their happy yips and laughter filling the barn with mirth. It made Lapis smile, looking at the scene and thinking how far the two gems have come; how close Peridot and her have become.

            Little Pumpkin ran up and down the barn, somehow jumping over piles of scrap and hay with ease; Peridot on the other hand seemed to fall on her face every few seconds and yet never deterred from her goal, chasing Pumpkin with as much fervor as she did from the start. It was only when Lapis started laughing from a particularly bad fall did the energetic gem take a second to recuperate, Lapis could see a faint blush appear on the small gems face.

            Pumpkin sat patiently on a hay bale in front of Lapis, waiting for his gem to get up and resume their game. Peridot noticed how he had stopped, and decided to try a new approach. She carefully and slowly got into position, and when she saw her moment she would strike.

            That moment came when Lapis walked up to pet Pumpkin; while the small fruit creature was distracted and rubbing against the ocean gems hand happily, Peridot pounced. As Peridot was in the air, time seemed to slow down, her thoughts of winning and her smirk of pride soon morphed a frightened frown and thoughts of "Oh no oh no oh no oh stars no!" as Pumpkin, ever vigilante, gracefully sidestepped of the hay bale and onto the ground, leaving the flying gem to crash into the unsuspecting Lazuli.

            Lapis was barely able to catch herself and the small gem now crashing into her, and landed onto the barn floor with a thud and an embarrassed gem in her arms. Lapis now lying on her back stared up at the flustered Peridot, the smaller gem still in shock as she stared down at the gem below her. Before Peridot could jump off the blue gem, Lapis grabbed her swiftly and looked into her eyes with a glare; Pumpkin just stood by watching in amusement as this all happened.

            "Peridot" Lapis's voice was sounded so stern, Peridot let out a small gulp before responding.

            "Y-yes Lapis?" A bead of sweat forming on the small gems brow.

            "Are you ok?" The ocean gem's voice was now full of comfort and sympathy, which brought all kinds of confusion to the small gem that was lying on her chest.

            "I-I'm fine! Are you ok, I didn't hurt you did I?" Peridots voice seemed to go another octave higher as she asked the question.

            "Well now that you mention it, I think I did get a little hurt... right... here." She motioned slowly towards her lips, giving Peridot a small seductive stare. "Maybe you could... kiss it better." Peridot almost fainted as Lapis licked her lips, not at all prepared for such blatant flirtation; even so, the small gem slowly leaned closer until she could feel other gems breath on her face, a huge flush appearing on both gems face. Lapis was about to pull away, only able to keep up this game of hers for so long; until finally, Peridot leaned in for the kiss, both gems soon melting into the other, wrapping their arms around each the others body and small giggles leaking from their mouths.

            As the two kissed Lapis felt so comfortable, so safe... so whole, and Peridot felt so serene, so content and happy: that neither gem even realized their gems glowing, stuck in the heat of the moment; it wasn't until a new gem opened her four eyes, her arms still wrapped around her body, and a very large amount of confusion being felt, that they realized something was off. That feeling was soon replaced with fear and anxiety. As one half was freaking out, the other half remained still, until slowly and carefully she raised a hand towards her face, unsure fingers grazing skin, roaming new features until it paused for a moment, fingers touching a small nose before continuing on forward, faster, bolder, until eventually reaching a gem lying in wait at the top of her forehead; and the gem cried.

            As tears rolled down her face, the other half stopped it's freaking out and rushed to the other side's aid. A voice soon spoke out: nasally, more akin to Peridots.

            "Lapis! Lapis, its ok, its ok... I'm here for you... for us?... I'm here." A hand reached up and wiped away the tears with its palm. A small smile appeared on her face and a laugh rose up through her throat, it was a rich laugh full of life and emotion, one that brought alone snorts and giggles. The new gem hugged herself tight as a new voice rose up.

            "I know." And with that simple answer the one gem soon unfused back into two; two gems that were still lying on top of one another, one with a look of worry on her face and another with stars in her eyes and the biggest smile she thinks she's ever made.

            The ocean gem wraps Peridot in a hug, the small gem soon wrapping her arms around her as well; both gems now had the dorkiest grins on their faces and faint tears daring to slide down their cheeks. The two gems broke apart from their hug only to have Pumpkin run up and tackle them, somehow bringing both gems to the ground. As the little fruit licked their faces, Peridot and Lapis giggled and didn't even try to push him off. Soon Pumpkin got tired of all the play and excitement, and rolled up into Lapis's lap, a faint snoring soon indicating he fell asleep.

            Lapis gently pet Pumpkin with one hand as the other moved slowly along the ground, eventually finding what it was looking for and latched onto the small hand of the other gem. Their fingers entwined and their heads rested against one another's, a comforting silence filling the room, but before the two joined Pumpkin in the land of sleep faint whispers in unison told the other, "I'm here".


	5. A New Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Home/ Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a part of a double update so if you didn't read chapter 4 yet, please do.

            Peridot still wasn't exactly sure how she wound up at the adoption agency, sitting in a stuffy room with only her wife and an old lady that smelled like a barrel of whisky was spilled in a retirement home. Peridots eyes gazed over to Lapis, who was currently skimming through a few booklets she picked up from a small rack in the corner.

            It was funny how even after being married for more than a year now, Peridot still couldn't believe she was married to such a goddess; her blue hair cascaded along her head like a wave, her equally blue eyes glistening with so much life and intelligence. A body like that of a river nymph, thin and well-toned from all the swimming she did, as well as a slight tan from being at the beach constantly. And here Peridot was: a short nerdy blond that worked as a freelance programmer and used to live off of Doritos and Mountain Dew until this angel came into her life her sophomore year of college.

            Peridot gave a few blinks of realization, "Stars has it really been that long?" Peridot and Lapis met during college and after a few unexpected drunken confessions during junior year, the two friends realized that they both were head over heels for the other but neither had the guts to go and say anything. After college they moved into a small house by the beach together, and a year after that Peridot dropped the question. Now it's been almost a year and half now and Lapis decided to drop her own big question a few weeks ago and well, here they were; in a small room, sitting in some of the most uncomfortable chairs she's ever sat in, waiting to know if they meet the requirements to adopt.  

            Lapis looked over from her pamphlet to see Peridot staring off into space, a dopey smile on her face; a small smile of her own appearing. She let out a small laugh as she remembered how anxious and apprehensive Peridot was about this whole thing, she can still when they had their first talk about the whole thing.

            Peridot was lying on the couch, her laptop resting on her lap as she tapped away at the keys, working on some program Lapis would probably never understand. She was doing that adorable thing where she sticks her tongue out slightly when she's concentrating and her eyes never seemed to blink; Lapis thought she could use a bit of a breather from working so hard. As graceful and silent as a ninja gazelle, she snuck around to the side of the couch before jumping over the armrest and wrapping her hands around Peridots eyes.

            "GYAHH!" Peridot shrieked as she almost threw her laptop across the room. "LAPIS! WHY!?" The short blonde fumbled around the couch, quickly setting her laptop on the small coffee table next to her before twisting around and grabbing her lover's arms. Peridots hair was even messier than usual, sticking up in all sorts of places, and her flushing face was just precious, Lapis ended up leaning in to kiss her nose.

            "Because Peri, you've been working for hours now and I thought you could use a break." She grinned as innocently as a dog that just left its owner a present.  

            "And?" Peridot has been with Lapis for years, she knew there had to be more. Lapis gave her a small pleading look.

            "And I thought we could... have a talk?" Peridot sighed and rubbed her forehead.

            "Alright, so what do you want to talk about?"

            "Well, you see... I've been thinking, and I know we've only been married for, like, a year, but everything has just gone fantastic and we both have pretty stable jobs, so I was thinking, that maybe... we could... have a kid?" She squeaked out the last part, knowing Peridots aversion to children, or as she called them, "little clumpy clod people" but maybe it would be different if it was theirs? Peridot gave her a confused stare, still trying to process what she was just asked, it took her a few seconds before she spoke.

            "A-are you sure? Y-you want to have a kid... with me?" Her voice got so quiet, Lapis almost didn't hear it, the clockworks in her mind trying to process the fact that Peridot wasn't against the idea; she thought Peridot would have just down right said no, or at least made some sort of objection, but she's not even questioning it, in fact it looks like... she's crying?

            "Peridot!? Are you ok?" Lapis was really confused on what was going on, her wife was never one to shed a tear, neither were honestly, so seeing small drops of water appearing from her wife's eyes was a bit of a shock.

            Peridot gave her a small nod, before wiping her eyes and looking up at Lapis with the biggest grin on her face.

            "It, it just makes me so happy t-that you'd want to start a family with me." Her tiny lover jumped at her off the couch, making them both tumble onto the (luckily) carpeted ground. Lapis started laughing as Peri gave her little kisses along her face, she wasn't sure what brought on this reaction, but she wasn't complaining; she retaliated to Peri's kisses with small pecks of her own, not stopping until Peridot rolled off her and the two lied there in exhaustion, smiling happy exhaustion. Lapis looked over to her once she got a bit of her breath back.

            "So is that a yes?" She asked hopefully.

            "It's... an, I'll think about it." Peridot said with a small smirk, booping her lover's nose.  

            And here they were, after a few weeks of begging, reasoning, and bribery: Peridot finally gave in, telling her that she'd love to have a kid with Lapis, but on the one condition that if it poops on the floor or tears up the carpet, she would trade it in for a roomba.

            Lapis broke from her reverie when she heard her name being called.

            "One Lapis and Peridot Lazuli? Lapis and Peridot Lazuli, we are ready for you in the back."

            Peridot looked over at her, their eyes meeting, and Lapis could see both fear and excitement glisten in her eyes. The couple got up in sync, and with as much bravado and readiness as they could muster (Which in Peridots case, was not much) strut though the door and into the office.   

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

            Lapis barreled up the stairs in excitement, their new little bundle of energy soon following. Peridot slowly brought up the rear, closing up the car doors and scaling the stairs with a tired but content smile.

            They child they adopted was a small rambunctious girl named Aquamarine, or Aqua for short. The six year old was strangely similar to both Peridot and Lapis, and the three quickly formed a connection. Aqua had Peridots unruly hair mixed with Lapis's deep ocean blue eyes. Freckles were splattered around her noise and cheeks and she had way too much energy in Peridots opinion, the tired spouse doesn't know if she'll be able to handle both Lapis and their new daughter... daughter... Peridot had a daughter now, with the love of her life; her smile seemed to grow as she made it up the final steps into the house, preparing her lungs for so as to be ready to start yelling at the other two to calm down and relax. Peridot was home and now, so was her new family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the slightly late chapters, I'm hoping to be able to get the rest on time but I can't promise anything, from what I'm thinking right now, the day 6 will be my biggest chapter and potentially a continuable story, maybe? We'll see how it goes, hopefully well.  
> Anyway thanks for reading.


	6. A Call for Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Historical AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not dead!  
> Sorry that this took so long, it was supposed to be done in one week and here it is being finished a day before the new year. I want to blame school and finals for why this is so late but a majority of the blame can be placed on some really bad writers block.  
> Anyway, here is the next chapter, I really really like this one and will probably end up making it my next story, whether I write it along side Come Rain or Snow or after it's completed is undecided for now.  
> So I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it and if you have anything you want to ask or say or any advice or criticism on my writing please leave a comment below, and if your reading this the day it comes out, Happy New Years!

             Peridot did not sign up for this. Life was fine, going exactly as planned until those clods screwed it all up. She worked hard her whole life, spending all her time in the pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of science in hopes of one day becoming the advisor to the king; and finally the day of the ceremony were she was supposed to be crowned as the official Royal Scientist, she was instead handed an actual crown and told she was now king.

            Apparently the night before the ceremony, her sisters decided to abandon her and their kingdom in favor of going off to stars know where with some knight, her bard, and their son.

            Peridot's scowl deepened as she remembered the incident again and her harsh steps could be heard echoing down the stone halls as she made her way to her next meeting. Weaving her way past guards and staff, grumbled apologies slipping past her lips whenever she clumsily ran into one of her subjects, she eventually made way to her destination.

            The place in question was the royal meeting hall, a place where the local populace could come to make requests or voice their thoughts. It was nice enough she supposed; it had somehow been made to have a simplistic grandeur look: drapes adorned with the royal crest of the kings birth gem (Most have already been replaced with a shining peridot, but some of the older, less touched halls still have the older symbols of a strong alexandrite gem) covered the tall windows, allowing some but not too much light to bask down over the halls; a nice oaken table stretched wide along the end of the hall coupled with five chairs that sat overlooking the room; and lastly was the request booth, a nice table and chair that sat a few meters away from the kings chair. 

            Peridot let out a small sigh of relief as she walked into the room; there only seemed to be three people today, which considering yesterday's forty-seven, was a welcoming sight. She made her way over to her chair, greeting the three subjects before her and motioning for one to step forward. She nodded at the two advisors joining her today: her mystic and go-to advisor, Sapphire, and the recently appointed captain of the guards, Jasper. Sapphire returned the nod while Jasper gave a small smile and waved.

            Once she made herself comfortable, she glanced up to see all three attendees standing at the booth. Slightly confused, she gave them a quick once-over. She could see they were farmers; that much was obvious; her best guess was that they work together on the same farm. After a few seconds of silence, she let out a small awkward cough. 

            "What may I assist you all with?" Even after a few weeks have passed, her slight awkwardness with other individuals still has not left her, though to her credit she has gotten better at addressing her subjects properly. 

            The farmers glanced around at each other for a moment, as if unsure who should talk. It took a moment but the man on the right soon raised a hand and took a step forward.

            "W-we have come to address the current drought your highness." He gave a swift bow as he said this, the other two quickly mimicking his movements. "As you know, it has not rained for at least three weeks and all us farmers are getting a bit uneasy, we were hoping you could help get the rain back."  

            Peridot gave the man a slow nod as she tried to figure out what he could mean. She looked to Jasper who gave a small shrug.

            "I would love to help bring back the rain, but I'm not a god, I have no control over the weather." She did her best not to sound sarcastic; she knew her people meant well but sometimes they downright confused her with their requests. She could see the men frown as she said this, their hung heads showing their disheartenedness, but before they could turn to leave Sapphire stood up.

            "If I may your highness, I know someone who is rumored to have the ability to control water; it is unlikely but she may be able to bring us the rain we wish for." Sapphire turned to give a gentle smile to the three men as they looked up at this news.

            "And do you know where we can find this supposed person?" Peridot didn't really believe anyone had control over the elements or any other form of magic for that matter, but with how long this lack of water has gone on, she was willing to try anything. 

            "She lives in a small cottage in the Balmerin Woods to the east, she works as a healer and medicine maker for the nearby villages and trading posts. It's only an hour or two walk from here."

            "Then I will head there tomorrow morning at dawn and settle this matter on my own." Plus it'll finally give me an excuse to get out of this damn castle for a couple hours."

            Jasper looked up at this announcement, not taking a moment to raise her objections.

            "I'm sorry Peri-, your highness, but I must ask that you stay here; I can go and request her aid myself in your place. It is not safe for you to travel without guards and considering this doctor probably wouldn't take well to a group of knights showing up at her door, I can go in your stead."

            Ughh, Peridot grumbled on the inside. She loved Jasper but she could be a little too overprotective, making her stay in her castle for days on end or if she does actually get to leave she has to be escorted by at least two of her royal guards. She's had to sneak out of the castle whenever she wished to actually go and travel her towns in peace, granted it wasn't always Jaspers doing for why she stayed inside for so long, she was a bit of a homebody and with the amount of work she has now, the amount of time she would be able to actually go and enjoy her kingdom's lands would tend to be minuscule. For now she'll just have to accept Jaspers request, begrudgingly accept it anyway. 

            "Fine, but bring Sapphire with you as well, she has a more... welcoming presence then you." Jasper frowned at this statement but soon nodded. They both knew Jasper could be a bit off-putting, standing at a gigantic 6' 9" and looking like the definition of an Amazonian warrior, not to mention her usual gruff demeanor and rashness when it came to strangers. What Peridot is trying to get at and what both her and Jasper know is that Jasper is not the best choice for a more... diplomatic approach.  

            "Thank you your highness, we really appreciate your help." Peridots attention was brought back to the three men as they bowed once more. Peridot gave a small smile and asked them to raise their heads.

            "You should be thanking Jasper and Sapphire, not me, as they are the ones who knew of the woman and are going to see if she can assist us all."

            "Yes, yes of course your highness" The three men quickly bowed and thanked her advisors before shuffling out through the large entryway, excited whispers could be heard from the one on the left.

            Sapphire left soon afterwards, saying she has some other duties to attend too; Jasper bent down and whispered the name Ruby into Peridots ear causing the two to grin and start laughing. These were the moments Peridot enjoyed, the rare moments of the day where she could ditch her "Royale Facade" for a much comfier persona. Sadly those moments never lasted long as a messenger soon appeared to call Peridot off to another meeting. Peridot let out a small sigh and turned to wave goodbye to Jasper, who gave her a little wink and some finger pistols in return.

 

            The rest of the day was uneventful, dull meeting after dull meeting, and it wasn't until night that Peridot could finally return to her chambers to rest. 

            She lightly slammed the door behind her before practically throwing herself onto her bed face first. She hoped sleep would take her quickly but somehow she knew there would be none tonight; accepting this fact she slowly walked over to her balcony. Her feet cold to the stone underfoot but not a care was felt as she stared out at the great expanse of her kingdom. This was one of the few things that made being king truly magnificent, this view, this wonderful view of the low plains that extended to the east of her castle, the many people that still walked around at night with only the faint light of the moon and the street lamps to light their path. She could see the Basilisk River stretching and winding out across the countryside, every now and then she would spot a boat lazily floating down this great river. And her favorite part of the view... was the sky, just as the various things dot the landscape below, so too did the stars cover the sky at night; some glimmering brightly while others were faded and dull yet still had some liveliness to them. Whenever she was stressed or needed a break, staring up at the sky at night would always do wonders to calm her nerves, maybe it was the expansiveness or perhaps the beauty of it, she did not know nor did she care, all that mattered was how much life she could see in the stars and how magical it all seemed to be.

            As her gaze drifted slowly back down to earth she looked over to the forest on the outskirts, she gave a small chuckle as she thought of this morning's conversation of the supposed magic women that could bring down rain. Her smile soon changed to a smirk as she also recalled how Jasper basically forbid her to go, it wouldn't be that difficult to get out the castle and procuring a horse would be easy enough, she just recently helped out the stable master in town and was confident he would be able to lend her a horse for a night. A loud nasally laugh filled her room as her idea set itself in stone, her body now whizzing around her room as she gathered all the necessary supplies. All she really needed was some gold and some better clothes but she grabbed a small dagger just in case, resting it along her hip once she pulled on a nice pair of jeans. She also made a quick note for her staff so they don't freak out when they find out that Peridot left in the middle of the night.

            It was always fun sneaking out of the castle (Which wasn't too difficult as the only people that would actually stop her was Jasper and maybe one or two guards) but tonight seemed to have something more; perhaps it was the thrill of having a mission of sorts that seemed to make this whole excursion more enjoyable. She could almost understand why her sisters left for some grand journey if this was how they felt. 

           

            Once out of the castle gates, it was but a hop, skip, and jump over a small stream, to get to the stables. She took large gulps of air with every breath, the outside always felt a hundred times better after being stuck in that stuffy old castle for days on end. Soon she was walking into the stables, hearing all the horses and dogs creating various sounds as if they were greeting her as their king and welcoming her into their humble abode. She was slightly surprised to see the stable master awake and feeding the animals instead of the stable hand; the stable master was an old man, ancient really as he was the stable master for not just the previous king but the king before her as well. She cautiously approached Mallon, not wanting to give him a heart attack or something.

            "Evenin' Mallon, I hope the animals are treating you well?" The old man didn't turn but a smile formed at his lips as he continued hand-feeding one of his horses.

            "Evenin' princess, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He let out a small chuckle when he saw Peridot frown at the princess line, it was a small joke between them when she was younger, the fact that she detested being called a princess, and he hasn't relented even now that she was king.  

            "I was hoping I could get a horse and some directions if you don't mind."

            "Heh, another one of your midnight excursions then I see, alright, let ol' Joy here finish her dinner and I'll see what I can do." With that, the night returned to its silence, besides all the neighs, whinnies, and barking that is. Peridot made herself comfy on a small stool next to Pumpkin, who was in her royal opinion, the best of all the dogs of this entire kingdom. It only took another minute or two for Joy to finish her meal and Peridot was soon off towards the Balmerin Woods, thoughts filled with the epic ballads the bards would sing of her valor, her resilience, her bravery that she exuded during her quest to bring water back to her kingdom. 

            Towns and people whizzed by as she rode the horse down her roads, waving to one of her citizens every now and then; she even saw one of the three men she saw this morning and could see his face light up once he noticed she was heading towards the doctor's cottage. Her laughter and mirth filled the woods as she rode faster and faster to her destination. 

 

            It seemed like only a few moments passed since she got on the horse and yet here she was, standing out in front of the supposed magic woman's cottage. She tied up her horse at a nearby post, making sure there was a good patch of grass for her to nibble on if she got hungry.

            "Wait, do horses eat grass?" 

            She shrugged her shoulders and gave her cheeks a few pats, psyching herself up for this meeting, it wasn't often she got to go out and meet people so she wanted to make a good first impression. 

           ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

            Lapis found herself once again lying on her bed, waiting for the sleep that she knew would never come; she was used to it by now, either through late night jobs or just the regular bout of insomnia, Lapis never did get much sleep.

            Deciding that lying in bed isn't going to get her anywhere, she stretches her legs and plops her feet onto the cool wooden floor and shuffles over to her kitchen. Before she can start making some tea however, a loud persistent knocking raps against her door. 

            It wasn't often that she would get visitors at night for some medicine or help with an injury but it did still occur; letting out a small sigh she made her way over to the loud, unrelenting knocks and almost broke the door when she opened so harshly.

            Her visitor seemed to have missed the fact that she opened the door because she knocked one more time, but seeing as it hit the soft flesh of Lapis's stomach it didn't make quite as loud a knock. Lapis smirked when the young women grew extremely flustered and started bowing her head and apologizing, her words as much as a jumbled mess as her hair, the latter of which seemed to spike up in all directions yet also hung down a little past her shoulders, a few cowlicks here and there springing up like salmon climbing a waterfall. Eventually the flustered girl stopped bowing and looked her slightly in the eyes.

            "Are you the one they call the Water Witch? I was told you could help me with a problem." Lapis noted her voice was quite nasally and rough yet had something mixed with it that made it somewhat... endearing? Lapis shook her head with a small laugh before answering her question.

            "I am the one they call the "Water Witch" though most call me by my actual name, something you haven't given yet." The short woman became flustered once more as Lapis said this, stars it was so easy to tease this girl and Lapis was loving every bit of it.  

            "M-my apologies, ahem." She let out a small cough, trying to calm her nerves it seems. "My name is Peridot... may I ask what your name is?" Lapis nearly choked on her own spit when she heard the girl's name.

            "W-wait! Peridot... as in King Peridot?!" The young woman let out a small laugh as Lapis grew flustered at the sound of her name.

            "Yes, I am the one they call King Peridot, but Peridot is fine, and in all honesty, much preferred over King Peridot or your majesty." Hold on, let's just back everything up for a second and go over everything here Lazuli. The King is, for whatever reason, standing at your doorstep during the middle of the night, and all you've really done so far is try your best to fluster her.

            Lapis pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to process all of this. Peridot seemed to be fine with standing out in the cold night, content with gazing around and studying the various details about her house and the surrounding area. After a few seconds passed away in silence Lapis let out a small sigh and held her door open. 

            "Please come in your ma-, I mean Peridot, I'm guessing you're not here to just stand out in the cold and make conversation?" Peridot gave her a small smile and Lapis's heart seemed to do a little flip.

            "Thank you... I'm sorry, I don't think I've actually gotten your actual name yet, or would you prefer I call you Water Witch? She said the last bit with a small smirk, every bit of her flusteredness seeming to have been transferred over to Lapis in the few moments that have passed.

            "It's... Lazuli, Lapis Lazuli."

            "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Lazuli." Oh stars there she goes with that angelic smile again, Lapis swears this woman could probably stop a war with something as pure as her smile.

            Lapis tries to throw away any perverse thoughts while she hesitantly guides Peridot to a small chair in the kitchen.

            "I was actually about to make some tea if you would like some."

            "That would be wonderful, thank you." Lapis gave a small nod and made her way to her kettle and leaves; it took a little longer for her to start the preparation than usual as she found herself repeatedly staring over at the little king sitting in her house. Peridot seemed to be studying the various ingredients, plants, potions, and other things Lapis used for her work. Eventually she got a fire going and set the small pot of water and leaves over it. Once everything was done she set herself down in the only other chair in the house and asked Peridot what she needed from her. She seemed to revert back to her flustered self and started rubbing her arm.

            "W-well, as you know there has been a bit of a drought recently and some of my citizens asked for my help today, and since I can't just magically call down rain one of my advisors told me of some rumors that said that you could possibly, maybe, call down some rain for us." As Peridot finished her rambling her voice went quiet and she looked at Lapis with something akin to both hope and embarrassment.

            Lapis didn't know whether to laugh or to feel sorry for this young king; it was obvious that she cared for her people seeing as how she came here personally to see if there was even a faint chance that she could end this drought but it was also news to her that the rumors of her supposed powers now included rain summoning. Lapis decided it probably would not be best to laugh and crush this poor girl's hope right away and instead looked at her softly.

            "Sorry but as you said, those are just rumors, all I can really do is make medicine and bandage wounds... sorry." She felt a pain in her chest as she saw Peridots shoulders slump in defeat and a small frown replace that beautiful smile.

            "Y-you don't have to apologize, I guess it was a little dumb of me to believe that you could actually summon rain, thank you for your time."

            The next few seconds were a bit of a blur but Lapis soon found herself grabbing on to Peridots arm and pulling her back down before she could get up. Once she realized what she did her face turned a dark red and she quickly let out a jumbled apology that seemed to have been an amalgamation of the words sorry and don't go. Peridot didn't seem to mind and just gave Lapis a small nod after looking down at her arm for a second.

            The next few minutes were spent in an uncomfortable silence as Peridot hung her head and Lapis berated herself for her rashness. It wasn't until Lapis heard a faint sniffle did she look over at Peridot again. She could see a few tears drip down onto the girl's hands as she clutched her knees. Lapis started panicking on the inside, not sure what to do at all, so the next few actions seemed to be purely on instinct. She quickly rushed over to take the kettle off the fire (so much for tea) and just as quickly, returned to bring Peridot over to her room, helping her lie down onto her bed. Not really sure what compelled her to do such a rash, and probably illegal action considering this girl was king, but she brought Peridot in close and ran a hand through her hair and down her back, doing her best to try and comfort the small woman that now lied in her arms. This seemed to work as Peridot's sniffling soon stopped and the girl proceeded to nuzzle her head into Lapis's shoulder, inching in and closing whatever distance the two had left between them. 

            The two stayed like that for what felt like hours to Lapis, but Peridot eventually loosened her grip and looked up at Lapis, little tears still hanging along the ridges of the girl's eyes. 

            "I'm sorry you had to see me like this, sometimes it's all just a little overwhelming you know? I never expected to be king and at first I didn't even want to be, so when people come to me for help I always feel like I need to do something, no matter how impossible but then when I can't help them, when there's nothing that seems to work I feel like I let everyone down and... and sometimes I think the kingdom would be better off if I wasn't king, like if I just up and left would anyone even miss me?" She rubbed her palm against her eye as a few more tears made their way down her cheeks. Lapis's body seemed to move on its own again as she quickly seized Peridots arms and looked her dead in the eyes.

            "Now we both know that's not true for a second. Look how much you do for your people; you came out here on your own just to check out if there was any chance you could bring rain back and if everyone can't see how dedicated and devoted and cute and amazing you are, then... then they can go and jump in a river!" Lapis was now cupping the girl's cheeks and could feel Peridots faint breaths sweeping along her own face like a warm wind after a rain shower. "You are needed and loved and a fantastic king, who cares if you weren't ready to be king or that you make a few mistakes, the fact that you're trying so hard is what matters.So...  so whenever you feel small or that you're not good enough remember that your people need you and love you, that I need you and lo-" Lapis soon started to realize what all she was saying and quickly slammed her mouth down hard enough she hurt her teeth. After a few breaths, she regained control and let go of Peridots face. 

            "What I'm trying to say is that you're doing fine, if not great, and that if you ever feel overwhelmed again and need someone to talk, you can come over whenever you like and I can make some tea and we can talk or just sit in silence or..."

            "Lapis."

            "... ya?"

            "Thank you." Peridot gave her a faint smile and Lapis couldn't help but smile back.

            "Do you want to stay like this for a while?" Peridot only gave a small nod and soon leaned back into Lapis's chest. The silence of the night soon enveloped them and Lapis wished she could stay in this moment forever.

            The calmness and serenity after that calamitous event seemed to cause a wave of exhaustion to roll over Lapis and it seemed like it affected Peridot too; the small girl could be heard snoring faintly, her faded breaths tickling Lapis's neck. As Lapis snuggled closer into Peridot, she felt her own eyelids drooping and soon that sweet embrace of sleep took her as well; and the final things she could here as her mind drifted to unconsciousness was Peridots soft snores and the light taps of raindrops against her roof.


	7. A plane, a plan, and a partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Pilots/Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Final update's finally here!  
> I hope you enjoy it and please if you have any questions, concerns, criticisms, or you just want to say hi, please leave a comment below.

            Everything was going to be perfect!

            At least, that's what Lapis kept telling herself as she drove silently down a multitude of long barren stretches of back roads. She was currently heading to the barn that she co-owned with her girlfriend after their friend, and basically an adoptive father to Peridot, gave it to them a few years back to help store all the things they couldn't fit in their tiny one-bedroom apartment back in Empire City. 

            Previously mentioned girlfriend was also in tow, silently pursuing various articles and blogs on whatever scientific phenomena that caught her eye. The two have been dating for four... no, five years now and Lapis couldn't be any happier. It was amazing how clear the past with her still is after all this time, she can still remember how she confronted Peridot back in college. They had been friends for years and were basically glued to the other's hip; it wasn't until a spark of jealousy popped up in Lapis when she saw Peridot hanging out with Amethyst and assumed the two were dating (Lapis didn't really know the other girl at that time or the fact that she is basically Peridots step-sister, which made Lapis's assumption even more embarrassing). She ended barging into Peridots room and pulling Peridot out of her bed, telling her they were going out on a date. Let's just say the whole thing started with a lot of blushing and apologies from Lapis once she realized what she just did and ended with both of them in Peridots bed along with many confessions and kisses being exchanged well into the next day.  

            Now here they were, years later and still glued to one another. Peridot was now a freelance/consulting engineer for various companies and Lapis, well Lapis was basically unemployed at the moment; Peridot wanted her to focus on getting her commercial pilot's license without having to work part-time at some diner that she hated, so after a few days of debating she ended up quitting and now spends her spare time as a commissioned artist online and at the various galleries around town. Lapis was hesitant at first, especially when Peridot also insisted on helping pay a majority of her school fees that weren't covered by scholarships and loans, but eventually gave in to her girlfriends nagging. Both of them knew she needed to focus in the final two semesters she had left and since Peridot was making plenty of money ever since she became the most in-demand engineer in the country (hell, even the government and large business conglomerates competed to hire her for their current projects) Lapis decided it would be better if she gave in to Peridots idea. It ended up being for the best; Lapis flew through her finals classes and was now the proud owner of a Masters in aeronautics as well as a commercial pilot's license.

            Lapis broke from her reverie as she pulled up onto a hill just a few ways away from the barn and as the car slowed to a stop Lapis tapped Peridot on the shoulder.

            "Come on babe, we're here." Lapis tried to hold back all the excitement and energy she was feeling, not wanting Peridot to catch on to her surprise. Peridot just gave a slight nod, gaze not lifting from her phone. Lapis rolled her eyes grumbled, she's long been used to how far Peridot can dive down the rabbit hole once she got invested in something, but today was big and Lapis had never been one for patience; not content with sitting and waiting for Peridot to finish reading... whatever it was, Lapis jumped out of the car and stretched her aching limbs. 

           

            Eventually Peridots phone went black with a soft click and the short woman stepped out onto the grassy hill they were parked on.

            "So why are we parked all the way over here and not down at the barn? Don't tell me Lapis Lazuli brought us all the way here for a romantic picnic." Lapis looked over to her girlfriend and gave her a wink.

            "That's for me to know and you to find out Dot." She waltzed over and booped the shorter woman's nose and was promptly flicked on the forehead in response.

            "It's far too late into this relationship for you to try to pull off the mystery card Lapis, I doubt either of us have any secrets between us by now." Peridot smirked; it was an obvious challenge to Lapis, a little goad into upping whatever thing she had planned.

            "Oh just you wait and see my little nerd, I have a surprise that'll knock you flat onto your butt." She gave her girlfriend a light push but Peridot kept her footing and teased Lapis with a quick peck on the cheek.

            "Well let's see what this big surprise is already." Lapis's eyes twinkled and she started making her way down the hill, shouting to Peridot to stay put.

 

            Peridot had a feeling on what this was all about; the barn held one of three things: her and Lapis's tools, Peridots own collection of machinery and various piles of junk and knick-knacks... and Lapis's plane Aquamarine. Peridot could still remember when Lapis first showed her the plane, back when it was still in the hanger.

 

            The two had been dating for only a few months by then but considering how long they've been stuck to each other, it was more like a few years; and Lapis, fresh from getting her private pilot's license, wanted to go and take Peridot for her first flight as a certified pilot. They drove for probably eighteen hours straight, only stopping for gas and food until they reached some old plane field. It took only a few minutes to get the keys to Lapis's family hanger (They've been flying planes here since Lapis's great-grandmother's time) and Lapis was ready to fly then and there but Peridot forced her to go and find them someplace nearby to sleep; with a slight pout Lapis nodded and they ended up sleeping all the way into the next afternoon at some cheap motel a mile or two away.

            Once the two were awake and Peridot was able to get some coffee and food in her, Lapis practically dragged her all the way back to the hangers to get everything ready. Peridot can still remember how Lapis looked as she flung open the hanger door, the look of pure unadulterated joy, the light bouncing off her skin practically making her shine, and if Peridot had any inkling of doubt in her relationship with Lapis, it was eradicated with a passion the second Lapis held out her hand and pulled Peridot into the hanger, smiles so large on both of their faces it hurt.

            Lapis skipped around all the planes and made her way to somewhere in the back, leaving Peridot to catch up. Peridot however, took the time to admire all the sights around her. There were three planes huddled together and a large assortment of tools and machinery scattered around the room. The walls and floors had quite a bit of dust coated on them yet all the planes and tools seemed to be in pristine condition, some of them shiny enough Peridot could see her own distorted reflection. The planes all seemed relatively old, Peridot thinks Lapis sad something about the oldest being made around the time world war two ended and the youngest was made sometime during the seventies or eighties. Peridot could see all the time and care that's been put into these machines and with how happy and excited Lapis must be, she would bet they'd continue to be around for even longer.

            Following a few loud clattering noises and some faint swearing, Peridot eventually found Lapis inside the cockpit of what she guessed was the youngest plane considering how new and fresh it seemed. Peridot stared up at her girlfriend as the young woman seemed to tumble around the plane, eventually popping up with her fist pumping in the air and that same grin still plastered on her face. Once her display of victory was over Lapis carefully hopped down next to Peridot, causing the younger of the two to let out a small yelp. Lapis let out a small chuckle and rubbed her girlfriend's hair playfully.

            "Come one, everything should be ready for us to fly." Peridot gave a small nod and started climbing into the plane next to her but was soon stopped by Lapis.

            "Not that one!" The shout was so unexpected Peridot fell off the small ladder on the planes side, luckily Lapis caught her and the two fell to the ground softly. Lapis blushed as Peridot climbed off her and gave her a quizzical look; the pilot looked away for a second, staring over at the plane next to them before sighing.

            "Sorry about that, it's just... I'm not allowed to fly that one yet."

            "Why not?" Peridot held out a hand, helping pull Lapis back to her feet.

            "That one's special... she's an old gift and also the first plane I ever rode in." Peridot watched as Lapis walked over and placed a hand on the warm metal of the plane, the soft look in her eyes speaking wonders for whatever memories she was recalling.

            "She used to be my great-grandmothers plane, every time I came down here we would spend the entire day flying together, I think we spent more time in the sky than on the ground honestly... eventually though, she passed away from old age but not before we could go flying one more time." Lapis let out a small laugh. "She was probably around eighty or ninety and the crazy woman was still flying like a pro; I guess she could tell how much I loved the plane because a year or two before she died she put it down in her will that I would get this plane once she couldn't fly it herself anymore. She always took such good care of this one, put so much love and sweat into her; she even gave her a name, spelled out in big letters over on the other side." Peridot glanced over to its side, and sure enough, there in large bolded letters was the word _**Aquamarine**_.

            "Ever since I heard that she gave me the plane I did my best to keep her in as good of shape as she did... but I also promised I wouldn't fly her until I was as good a pilot as my great-grandma." Lapis turned to face Peridot again; Peridot could see a small tear forming at the edge of her girlfriend's eyes but it was quickly blinked away.

            "So until I get my commercial pilot's license, I'm only allowed to take care of Aqua. Now come on, we're burnin' daylight and I still have to take you out for your first flight!" Peridot smiled and followed behind happily as Lapis pulled her over to one of the other planes.

 

            Peridot broke from her thoughts with some good timing, the soft whir of Aqua's motor was humming throughout the air and Peridot rushed over to the edge of the hill just in time to see the old plane creeping slowly out the barns large doorway.

            As the plane that sat idly for so long came to life it seemed as if an ancient dragon was waking up after a century of sleep: the blade sputtered wildly but soon was spinning fast and smooth, the wheels seemed to barely hold up for the first few seconds but soon gained their footing and rode softly yet strongly, and the engine that for the first minute was as quiet and soft like a kitten's snoring soon roared to life and Peridot could feel her hair stick up on its ends as the motor soon bellowed it's return to the world of the living for all to hear.

            Peridot has ridden hundreds of flights with Lapis over the years, she's seen a countless number of planes start up and get ready to take off... yet she could feel how special this one was; it was as if the sky that for so long lacked a strong ruler just regained its former queen. Peridot couldn't take her eyes off the plane as it slowly sped across the plains, her breath hitched and her eyes unwavering, watching intently as the wheels skipped along the grass until finally, with one last hop, the plane took off from the ground. Peridot could feel her heart stop as she saw the pilot; Lapis looked so full of life, as if every burden ever put on her was gone, as if for this moment in time, Lapis was free from the Earth and all its troubles.

            Lapis must have noticed Peridot's awe as she took off, because as she rose into the air she gave the little woman a quick wink and waved her arm wildly at her, her smile beaming so brightly that Peridot's poor heart that was stopped now sped up with a skip and then some, her body soon taking on a mind of its own as she quickly started jumping up and down like a child, waving both arms in the air and cheering Lapis and Aqua on so loudly that not even the roar of the plane could drown out her voice.

 

            Lapis felt a faint blush spread to her cheeks as the faint echo of Peridots shouts made their way to her ears, her heart pounding from the excitement and the anticipation of everything. It took her a while to even remember her main reason for all this; she was so caught up in the rush of feelings, the memories of her and great-grandmother striking her with such resounding renewal. For those few minutes in the air she felt so alive, as if she could feel the life around her, the plane and all her parts working perfectly in harmony, the sun's warm light washing over her body like a blanket during an afternoon nap, and the cool breeze that spread over her body like a dunk in a pool during a summer heatwave: it was breathtaking.

            But once she could hear Peridots shouts, once she recalled who she was here for, she was back into action. With Peridot cheering her on and the feeling that the world itself was giving Lapis it strength she prepared her main event; she reached over to Aqua's tail-end and with a quick pull of a string, watched as her banner flew out behind and hoped Peridot could see it.

 

            For the first few seconds Peridot couldn't believe what she saw. She almost didn't notice at first, so caught up with all the excitement, but she noticed Lapis leaning out of her seat and reaching for something behind her and soon a long banner stretched out along the sky, displaying one message for one person...

           

 

**WILL YOU MARRY ME PERIDOT OLIVINE?!?!?!?**

 

            Lapis flew around for a few more minutes, trying to give Peridot enough time to see the message and also wanting to enjoy flying in the same plane from her childhood for just a bit longer. Eventually though she did land, the wheels touching back down upon the earth, the blades soon slowing to a halt and the roar of the engine was once more the soft purr of a kitten.

            Lapis gave one last look at the plane before turning it off with a smile and stepping down, but before she could even take off her helmet she was tackled to the ground as words flew around her and a warmth spread through her body; it took her a few seconds before she could understand what was going on.        

            Lapis rolls around on the ground to see her assaulter: a small, nerdy woman with a mess she called hair and a love of dumb Canadian soap operas; a young woman that was now peppering her face with a bombardment of light kisses and blinded her with a radiant and beautiful smile. Lapis's heart fluttered and bounced and danced and everything else that it could to exemplify how much this woman could truly make her feel, how no matter how wonderful it felt to be in the air, how free she felt riding Aqua again, it was nothing compared to being down on the ground with the love of her life.   

            After rolling around on the grass for who cared how long, being showered with kisses and hugs, did Lapis finally push Peridot off of her. Both were a giggling mess and wanted nothing more than to cling to one another for the rest of their lives but Lapis had one more thing she had to do.

            Quickly clambering back into Aqua she scrambled to open a small compartment in the front and pull out a small case. She dropped down to the ground in a rush and dropped down on one knee even quicker, Peridot was now standing and staring, tears daring one another to drop down from her majestic green eyes. Lapis fumbled to offer up the small case, her fingers stumbling as she opened the case, exposing a small greenish-blue gem, and her words tripping over her lips as she tried to ask one question.

            "P-peridot Olivine, will y-you do me the greatest honor in the world, and marry me?" Lapis barely had time to finish her question before Peridot leapt into her arms once more, her voice shaky and her eyes watering as she leaned in and whispered into Lapis's ear,

            "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say real quick how much all you readers mean to me, every single one of you who have left kudos and comments and decided to give this collection of short chapters a glance, it makes me happy that you found enjoyment from this.  
> I also want to apologize for the fact that this was a collection for Lapidot week, which was about two months ago, so thanks for sticking it through with me. After writing some more I feel a bit more into the groove and shouldn't have another two month long hiatus in between chapters anytime soon so Come Rain or Snow should be getting a new chapter in about a week or two for anyone that was wondering. 
> 
> So once again Thank you so much for reading, I hope you have a great day, and let's make this a great new year!


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